Homemade Gin (Infusion)

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This is one of my favorite all time ways to make a homemade gin infusion.

Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go: This is not Carol Burnett’s bathtub gin.

(Remember that scene from Annie?)

This recipe came to me from Gourmet Live, by way of the lovely folks over at The Peche.

It’s packed with some of my favorite fresh and dried herbs and spices.

I should note that this is an infusion, and true gin is made with a still (not legal for home use, and not something we’d recommend trying at home without proper instruction.)

I should also note that this gin isn’t crystal clear.

At least, mine picked up a hint of yellow-green from the fresh herbs.

Now, I’m sure this will bother gin purists. But hey, it’s gin I made at home, and you connoisseurs are probably firmly ensconced with your favorite bottles, anyway.

Plus, what it lacks in pristine-as-the-first-fallen-snow clarity, it makes up for in flavor.

It’s delicious. (Besides, if you take the time to run it 2-3 times through a coffee filter, the clarity improves dramatically.)

I should also note that I gave some to a (badly) hungover friend, and he said it perked him up.

Probably too soon to start touting this as a hangover cure, but initial results are promising. 😉

So what’s in gin, anyways?

Good question.

And there’s not really a simple answer. The short response is: Gin can be a lot of different things.

As long as you’re looking at a neutral, hard liquor that’s been flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals, it qualifies as gin. Pretty open ended, right?

Here’s a look at some of the botanicals that go into gin. You should be able to find all them at a well-stocked grocery store.

Juniper Berries

Let’s start with the star. Juniper berries are these things here.

Juniper trees are evergreens that make their home in North America, Europe & Asia.

The ancient Egyptians used juniper to cure tapeworms.

The Romans and the Hopi used it to treat stomach problems.

Western Europeans planted juniper trees by their houses to ward off witches. The Scottish burned it to ward off the evil eye. And the Tibetans added it to incense to exorcise demons.

Not to mention that juniper has also been used medicinally to cure everything from gas and heartburn to bladder and kidney infections.

Juniper has also been known to have antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. They’ve been used by herbwives to detoxify the body and promote healthy digestion. 

They’re rich in antioxidants (polyphenolic compounds called bioflavanoids), and ancient Greeks used to use them as medicine and to boost the performance of Olympic athletes.

Juniper berries have also been paired for years with roasted meats in cooking.

Pretty good stuff, right?

Botanicals

Aside from juniper berries, I tossed a lot of other botanicals into this batch of gin, including:

Green Cardamom Pods
Cardamom pods smell AMAZING, and have a ton of different uses outside of amateur gin-making, including in baked goods, ice cream, tea—and the cuisines of the Middle East and Scandanavia.

It’s also a key player in chai.

The cardamom plant is actually in the ginger family.

It’s also the world’s third most expensive spice, right after saffron and vanilla beans.

This is probably because the pods have to be harvested by hand, when they’re three-quarters ripe.

Fennel seed
Not only does fennel seed smell like licorice, but it’s good for your digestion, too.

Fennel has been used to cure all sorts of ailments through the years, from snakebites to obesity to stomach trouble.

Fennel seed also plays a role in a handful of other liquors, including aquavit and absinthe.

Lemon peel
Lemon peel is one of my favorite ways to brighten up almost any drink or dish. Get organic lemons if you can (citrus fruits are heavily sprayed).

Be sure to scrape off as much of the white pith from the inside of the peel as you can.

It’s bitter, and you don’t want that in your gin.

Lavender
A good friend was kind enough to donate some of her homegrown lavender. (Gorgeous, right?)

If you can’t find fresh lavender, I’m sure you could use a teaspoon of dried lavender flowers.

Lavender is a mainstay in French Herbes de Provence, and dried lavender is getting easier to find.

Just be sure you don’t use anything that’s not food grade (i.e. potpourri).

I like to order my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs. (Their lavender listing is here.)

What do the experts say?

Now, what makes GOOD gin is an entirely different question…and one that I’m probably not qualified to answer.

I’m just a little mouse who likes to tinker with homemade infusions. (Believe it or not, I actually like making them better than I like drinking them.)

So, I’ll leave the expert commentary to, well, the experts.

Luckily, the Barkeep over at SeeMyDrink.com, a free social networking site for cocktail enthusiasts, was kind enough to indulge us on the topic of gin.

Here’s what he had to say.

(If you’re one of those with a penchant for Instagramming pics of your cocktails, you should seriously check this site out.)

“Ever since the cocktail resurgence began a few years ago, the gin landscape in the U.S. has changed. Your choices used to be limited to a London gin.

Glass bottles were the good stuff; plastic bottles were nothing more than paint stripper. Today, we’re fortunate to have a great variety of gin styles.

A few words about London Dry. Many people think gin originated in the UK. Actually, it’s a product of the Netherlands.

Around the turn of the century, Londoners were cranking out gin like it was water. Because this “bathtub gin” wasn’t regulated, it actually caused a public health crisis ranging from injury, blindness, to even death.

In response, Parliament quickly enacted the strict double distillation standards for production that exist to this day.

These standards help make London Dry a favorite of gin drinkers worldwide. While Bombay and Bombay Sapphire are the most prolific of the London Drys, I feel the Plymouth Gin is the best in this category.

About ingredients. Gin is mostly associated with juniper, although there are no legal requirements for ingredients as with Champagne or bourbon.

Typically, gin gets its predominant flavor from juniper during the initial distillation.

That said, I like two brands that think outside that box. New Amsterdam (not a traditional Amsterdam gin) has a nice light clean citrus flavor. Hendricks exudes earthy notes of cucumber.

Bols Genever is new to the US market and is currently taking speakeasies by storm. It’s a traditional Holland gin modeled after a 100+ year old recipe. It’s what people were drinking pre-prohibition.

Its sweeter, malty taste is nothing like the aforementioned gins. In fact, it tastes nothing like any gin you’re used to.

Another new-to-you-but-old-as-the-hills gin is Old Tom, another pre-prohibition style gin that’s slowly finding its ways to shelves at better liquor stores.

Similar in flavor profile to a London Dry, OId Tom is sweeter. Hayman’s is the best Old Tom out there, but whatever you can find will be a rare treat.

Finally a small note on what to avoid: Anything in a plastic bottle! (These are truly words to live by.) The one brand I always avoid is Tanqueray.

Even though it’s everywhere, its distinctive taste is the unfortunate result of botanicals (namely, pine) being added during the second distillation, which distorts the flavor and renders it useless to any serious cocktailologist.

What would I put in my own gin? I have no clue. That’s your job, Mouse.

I guess I’d start with the cleanest spirit (least amount of aftertaste) so that when cocktailing, my accent liquors are allowed to shine through.”

—Barkeep, SeeMyDrink.com

I also asked a bunch of you guys

I also took it to the street and asked our fans and followers on Twitter and Facebook about their favorite gin brands and cocktails.

I got a ton of responses. Here are some of them. (You gin drinkers are an enthusiastic bunch! Thanks so much to all for contributing!)

“Hendrick’s is my favorite gin.”

“Ooh, I’ve heard great things about Hendrick’s…”

“The brewers of Anchor Steam make a bracing gin great for G&T. As for cocktails… Corpse Reviver #2. Several versions around, but it should call for Lillet Blanc and absinthe, or it’s not legit. And please get real Marasca cherries. A work of art in a shaker.”

“Death’s Door is my fav. It has a strong flavor!”

“Bombay is the best tasting. Bombay in the blender with fresh orange juice and pink lemonade with a few cubes of ice and yummers! Refreshing summer momma Slurpee!”

“We have just tried Old Lady and it’s not too bad and a good price.”

“Have you heard of Brecon gin (wales) or Chase gin (Hereford, England)?? The chase gin is made from apples 🙂 both really good and very easy to drink!”

“Leopold Bros. Gin. I also like Plymouth, and my drink at the moment is The Last Word, a prohibition-era cocktail comprised of equal parts gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino Liqueur, and Lime Juice.”

“Beefeaters is a classic in Mexico, Tamarindo martini is my fav, very refreshing with chili powder on the rim.”

“Bulldog Gin!”

“I love Hendrick’s and, locally, knockabout gin from Ryan & Wood in Gloucester.”

“Only recently started drinking gin, but a great drink is one I got at Zaytinya here, called a Beach (or Town?): Plymouth gin, lime, maraschino & egg white.”

“We love Hendrick’s after having it in Scotland. For me, G&T with the cucumber garnish.”

“For Cocktails I love Voyager, and for gin and tonics I like Tanqueray Ten”

“Plymouth is an utterly smooth and easy gin. It’s great in cocktails where you don’t want to get smacked in the face with juniper or when you want to fool someone who doesn’t like gin.”

“No.3, Old Raj, Death’s Door, and the Imperial Cocktail, the Aviation Cocktail and the classic Tom Collins.”

“Magellan gin, St Germain, tonic, twist of lime, ice. So good.”

“My favorite gin is Hendricks, and I love it with a cucumber garnish and maybe some St. Germaine.”

“Gin and tonic with grapefruit bitters on ice is my favorite summer gin drink.”

“Chef and the Farmer in Kinston, NC made a terrific roasted blackberry infused gin.”

“<3 gin! Particularly new ones from St George. Aviation, Last Word, The Gypsy. Mmmm.”

“The “Strange Brew” at Death and Co. An IPA tops off a gin and citrus delight.”

“Vesper! And Death’s Door is incredible.”

“Cucumber Mint Ice Cubes, my favorite way to serve gin.”

“I really like Rogue Spruce Gin and Barr Hill from Caledonia Spirits.”

“One of my colleagues swears by Tanqueray and tonic. Says it keeps the horseflies from biting.”

“Sweet Patootie Cocktail: Gin, Triple Sec, OJ, ice….”

“I just tried Gale Force Gin, it’s from a distillery in Nantucket, I believe. Although it won’t be replacing my Bombay, it is pretty tasty.”

“The Bijou is always a good gin drink.”

“I know little about gin and am intrigued. I helped a great deal, I know.”

How about you? What’s your favorite cocktail? Brand of gin? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Ready to make your own gin?

The best part about making your own gin?

You can 100% control what goes into it. The mix below produces a fragrant gin that’s light and refreshing.

For a stronger juniper flavor, infuse the juniper berries overnight, then add the rest of the ingredients and infuse for another 24 hours.

The short version of the recipe goes like this:

  • Stuff the herbs & spices into a very clean bottle.
  • Cover with vodka for 24 hours
  • Strain, filter (if necessary), rebottle, enjoy!

(Simple, right?)

Here’s a little eye candy for what that looks like.

Homemade Gin

Adapted from Gourmet Live

1 (750ml) bottle of vodka
2 Tablespoons dried juniper berries
3/4 teaspoon coriander seed or ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
3 green cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns
1 fresh bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 piece fresh lemon peel
1 sprig fresh lavender

Makes 1 bottle of gin. Serves as many as you want to share with.

Combine all the ingredients

Gather your herbs and spices.

If you’re partial to one flavor, or hate another, definitely feel free to play with the ratio of ingredients, or even omit some and add others.

After all, it’s your gin.

Sterilize a glass bottle with hot, soapy water.

Add all the solids to the bottle.

Pour in the vodka.

Shake & infuse overnight

Give it a good shake. Let infuse overnight.

The berries and seeds will rise to the top.

That’s just fine. Make sure they’re covered with vodka.

Shake the bottle every once in a while.

Strain & bottle

I strained it once to catch all the solids, then ran it through a coffee filter a couple of times to try to improve the clarity.

The final brew definitely has a fresh green tint from the herbs.

Cheers and enjoy!

Now the big question: What’s your favorite gin cocktail?

And what’s your favorite brand?

Have you ever made your own gin?

Leave a comment, let us know!

Stay tuned for a couple of gin reviews and a cocktail or two in the coming weeks.

Nutrition

Calories

398 cal

Fat

6 g

Carbs

86 g

Protein

15 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
Homemade Gin (Infusion)

Yields 750 ml. bottle

This recipe is packed with some of my favorite fresh and dried herbs and spices. I should note that this is an infusion, and true gin is made with a still.

Save RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

1 (750ml) bottle of vodka
2 Tablespoons dried juniper berries
3/4 teaspoon coriander seed or ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
3 green cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns
1 fresh bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 piece fresh lemon peel
1 sprig fresh lavender

Instructions

  1. Sterilize a glass bottle with hot, soapy water.
  2. Add all the solids to the bottle.
  3. Pour in the vodka.
  4. Give it a good shake. Let infuse overnight. The berries and seeds will rise to the top. That’s just fine. Make sure they’re covered with vodka. Shake the bottle every once in a while.
  5. Strain and bottle: Strain it once to catch all the solids, then run it through a coffee filter a couple of times to try to improve the clarity if you like. Cheers and enjoy!
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https://www.thehungrymouse.com/2012/07/01/homemade-gin/


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Jessie Cross is a cookbook author and creator of The Hungry Mouse, a monster online food blog w/500+ recipes. When she's not shopping for cheese or baking pies, Jessie works as an advertising copywriter in Boston. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and two small, fluffy wolves.

28 COMMENTS

  1. I LOVE gin in a Bee's Knees (gin, honey, lemon); I believe the Bee Sting is the same thing with bourbon? I guess what I am saying is that I like honey and lemon and booze.
  2. I usually drink gin in the form of a gimlet (gin, lime juice, simply syrup) but to enjoy the flavor of the fresh herbs I'd say do gin & tonic or tom collins :)
  3. Now if only I can find some juniper berries I will be in business. Barkeep's comments notwithstanding I LIKE Tanqeray. In a tall glass with Rose's lime it is great in the hot weather.
  4. I recently discovered New Amsterdam and think its amazing. I usually only drink gin and tonics but that Bee's Knees sounds right up my alley too.
  5. Fortunately, gin is fascinating. It's about 800 years old, and it was first distilled in the Low Countries of Holland, Belgium, etc. It was first known as jenever, which is Dutch for juniper, as it was the juniper berries that gave it the distinctive taste. At the time, it was wine or brandy “cooked” with juniper, which were thought to have positive medicinal effect. By the 17th century, grain spirits were being used to make jenever instead of wine, although the product (Anglicized into genever, or simply Geneva) resembled more of a whiskey in flavor than the clear, floral gin to which we're accustomed. At about the same time, the Dutch East India Company came into prominence (and by prominence we mean prominence, as for a while the Dutch East India Company was basically one of the most powerful governments in the world), which meant that the local genever was being shipped all across the globe. The key to the first wave of popularity of gin? Distribution.
  6. I, too, don't care to drink, but I am consumed with making them. Love your site! I also adore growing all kinds of organic vegetable and fruits and "medicinal herbs" that I don't partake of. It's just the sport of it. Right now I'm on a bread baking kick. I mean, an old lady can only eat so much fresh hot bread with butter melted all over it, but my neighbors are quite happy to tear into a loaf to help me out. I grow lavender and some of the other herbs you mention and I have juniper berries so I think I'll make some of your gin. I just need to go get some more glass containers. My others are filled with plum vodka, plum wine and strawberry wine, fermenting pickles, beans from what I've grown. I live in a very tiny little cottage and it's starting to look like I'm a hoarder with jars everywhere! They'll wonder about me if I'm found dead some day!
    • As far as I can tell from reading other sources, the shelf life should be upwards of a year as long as your alcohol content stays around 40% and you filter out most of the particulates. The chance of mold or bacteria growing in distilled spirits is astronomically small. I don't know whether the spices will oxidize or change over time, but it's a good idea to filter out as much as possible so that the little bits aren't continuing to add their flavor to the mix. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2978/can-liquor-be-used-as-an-emergency-antiseptic
  7. My two favourite gins for me, are Hendricks and Bombay saphire! Will be trying my own soon.. Well since I make my own bread, beer and sauerkraut! I thought it only right! :)
  8. Just wanting to know if anyone has given making a copy of Hendricks a go. Trying to work out how to give it a try, would the cucumber infuse through cold infusion? Or would you need to basket distill it to get the flavour?
  9. I have some experience making gin by infusion. Let me add some suggestions. Go easy on the amounts of herbs suggested. The amount of fennel and cardamom suggested I believe most will find completely overpowering. That amount of fennel will just taste like a licorice stick. Additionally, keep the list of ingredients short and simple. Just like any recipe, with that many flavors, it tends to muddy the taste. Also start with half pint batches of vodka until you find what you like. No need to invest an entire fifth of good vodka and create something you don't like. And about the vodka you use. Rough, poor vodka makes rough, poor gin. Spend a couple dollars more and use a good vodka ingredient.
  10. My homemade infusion consisted of juniper berries, szechuan peppercorns, cilantro, ginger, star anise, orange peel, fennel, coriander, chrysanthemum and lavender. Very good with a citrus forward tonic and I absolutely loved the vividly green color it picked up from the cilantro.
  11. Made this a few times. Added angelica root once. Can't seem to get it to smell and taste like gin. Actually it is closer to sloe gin than real gin. Not good with Roses lime juice for a gimlet, but OK with tonic water and lime.
  12. I like my home made gin. I use hibiscus flowers to make a lovely red gin. I must disagree with Steve, because for 750 ml, 4 green cardamom pods will not overwhelm. That's what I use, and I use licorice (dried) instead of fennel, and put in 1/2 tsp/750 ml with no overpowering, but it's all a matter of taste. For my hibiscus gin, I use hibiscus flowers, orange peel, bay leaf, pink pepper, coriander seed, juniper berries, green cardamom. It's lovely, and easily as good as the $32 bottle of Glendalough Gin. I also make a traditional gin, and going to experiment with some mulling spices with my next small batch just to see how it would turn out. I add juniper berries first...24 hour infuse, then my botanicals, 24 hour infuse. Strain, refrigerate 12 hours to meld flavors, then drink. I use Tito's vodka. I agree with Steve, not a fan of cheap vodka if you want to make a good gin. The other tip I would share is to crush the berries/seeds before adding, it will help with the infusion. I use a mortar and pestle.
  13. I agree with Steve M Hall. I have been making Aquavit infusions for almost 20 years. Always use a good vodka. My imitation Linie was chosen over Linie by 5 out of 6 Norwegians in a blind tasting, IMO, because I use a very smooth vodka (the Norwegian couldn't tell the difference). Like Steve said start small both in amount of herbs and vodka. The predominant flavor for Gin, Dry Gin and London Dry Gin needs to be juniper berries. I would, and will when I make my first infusion, start with just juniper berries. After that the list of ingredients above is a good list to find your favorite combination. When you get something you like, scale it up. You'll probably have to tweak recipe a bit after scaling up, but you'll soon have a unique gin that you, and your friends, can enjoy.
  14. best cocktail these days is 2 oz sipsmith gin, 4 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, 1/2 lime juice, 1 tsp simple syrup, stirred in a glassful of ice for 30 sec, pour into a coupe (there will be plenty for seconds, or for your partner). Garnish with thin slice of lime.

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